Remote

Going to the LHS today to pick up the TT Neptune SB-1. Found little to no info here on RCU. Found some at another forum, but thought maybe you guys that own one can share your tips, mods, and such about your SB-1. I do have a couple questions right off the bat. I've read that the charger that comes with the SB-1 is not all that great. Is there a charger that you guys would recommend? I have a Triton charger. Will that work? Also, I would like to add a video recording camera to the sub. Any suggestion on which one to get that wont empty the wallet?
Thanks......

Remote

Just got home from the hobby shop. Little disappointed to find out that the upper left toggle switch was broke off. [] Guess I'll head on back to the LHS and see what they will do/say.

AQUASUB

I have posted my findings and mods about my SB-2.0 here and on RC Groups and will post more here,please be free to Q and A.

First some pictures of the mods, what it is like before and after.

AQUASUB

More pics very detailed mods there simple improvements to extend runing time ,depth and manuverability.The single most important mod was the forward dive plains inlargement then the larger capasity battery.

The charger for the sub should not be used a more powerfull unit is recomended if using a gell cell,a lipo can also be used but why,the cost is still too high for a sub of this size.I get about 75 minutes per run and a bit shorter with the LEDs on,there switchable on ch 5 ,still have one more chanel??.
By the way the supplied radio is a jem its simple and works very well as it realy is a Futaba unit.The main thing is that it penetrates very well into deep water and if it gets too deep no problem she surfaces automaticly same for if water enters,what agreat electronics suite!.

AQUASUB

More ,note the thin walled cylinder casing,at depths of 15ft or more it sqeezes enogh to cause microw cracks in the 2 thicker end plates.My solution was to install a .25 cent oneway vent valve,in this way high pressure escapes before it can do more damage.

AQUASUB

The casing vent line mod.

AQUASUB

I also had a nasty water leak,finaly found it from the stock prop shaft seal,I fixt that one!

Remote

AQUASUB,
Thanks for ALL the pics!!!! I was following your post in the other site and looks like you reworked the whole sub. VERY impressed with your craftsmanship. Thanks for taking the time to post all your mods. The LHS took mine back. Now I'm looking for another one, but most places are out of stock. If they do have them in stock, they want want $600.00+ for them....ouch

AQUASUB

A list of mods .
Dive plains larger

Battery larger

Larger prop and rudder /Kort Knozzle

Water cooled motor

Water filter on ballast pump inlet line

Double brass bushings stufing box

External oneway vent valve/siphon

Trimed down aft horizontal stabalizer

External and internal LEDS

Fast acces to main fuse port

Cannon plug for external lights and camara power

Acrilic 2 tone color paint

Switching lights by remote

Wireless live telemitry system ,depth,voltages,servo positions,servo amprages,motor temp,pump temp,prop rpm and casing internal pressure.
All visable onscreen video peramitters.

More coming.

AQUASUB

Keep looking its out there,how much was the first one?

Remote

Would you happen to have any type of write up on how you did the lighting? That looks/sounds like a mod I would really like to attempt, that and getting the real time camera system going and installing a action cam like in the other forum. I'll have to meet up with you one weekend at the springs. Im down in the Tampa area.

Remote

The LHS had it for $469.00 which was not to bad of a price, IF it wasn't broke. *LOL*

Remote

Tower Hobbies has the sub in stock but will NOT price match. They want $569.00....[X(] Does ANYBODY know where I can pick one up in the $460.00 range?

AQUASUB

Thats a great price at LHS ! I  paid a t less than that way back about 2 years ago with free shipping.
If only the radio togle was broken its easy to fix.

Yes I can give some info on the LED mod and action cam.

First I would select the leds that are pree wired for 12 vdc operation,that way you won't have to install resistors to drop down the voltage.

Then select where you want them and how ,many,I even have them inside of the casing in the side windows and fascing downward ,4 large super bright ones.

To install them remove the left and right outer hulls halfs in yellow ,no need to remove the aft cone.Drill to the right size to hold them and then glue them in place with Goop not CA as it will haze over the clear lenz of the LED and Goop will seal the back side of the LED from moisture.

I have about 28 on this sub and so far none have burned out.Then consolidate and tidy up the wireing so that the 2 halfs can be easily removed and installed by glueing in spots the wires to the hull ,you have to sualder the positive to positive leads once pre cut to length so that its nice and tidy use wire straps if necessary same for the negative leads to all lead or terminate at the under bow area where the off on switch is.There install a watertight  mini connector maid by the same company that makes electrical parts for the scale train folks avialble also at the hobbyshop,there very small and have an internal O ring,they work so very well.There must be one there so that when the nose comes off there is a connection to all of the external LEDS.

I then attached a wire from the main circuit bourd that has those screw type terminals,use your voltage meter to find which one has the switched power on .Then another from the negative batery terminal to meet up with the positive wire and then sauldered to the larger main cannon plug connector ill show a new picture of that mod,there marvaluse and realy do the job,military speck and maid to last, I have some for sail.

This plug is installed on the clear thick forward bulkhead in the lower section so that its out of the way of the camara when the nose is on.

Be sure to double check your connections or you could burn out alot of LEDs!,Then once they work be sure to seal the connections with Goop.

Then iether use the negative or positive side to use for the remote switching of the lights.I installed the switch and servo in the aft section close to the other aft servos on the rib sopport where ever there is enogh flat space with servo tape.Now you can use an electronic switch as well but for one servo and a glued on microw switch adjusted since the radio does not have servo adjustments it just works for alot less.

Then there is the camara ,the first one i used was the Action Camara ,its OK but not realy that good as it colud be the optics underwater just arent what I like so I use a water tight color infrared night camara 1/4 inch non CMOS type that makes an awsome clear picture and has an extra wide angle lenz.,there available on Ebay.
This is powered by the main batery via the above connector along with the signal is also passed into the sub where a microw DVR records the action.

The wireless vertion is self contained except for the power supply,but its not installed now.Later ill return to it.

See dia gram for details. 

AQUASUB

Diagram LEDs

Remote

Thanks a lot for the write up on the lights. I called a few places today and none of them had the SB-1 in stock. Back ordered everywhere I called. [] I even called ACE Hobby INC. (The distributor.) and was told they had no idea when the SB-1 would be in stock. Not looking good.

DJLaPalme

Call your LHS that you returned the sub to and buy it back. He would probably rather sell it back than have to go to all the trouble of shipping it back. He may sell it to you cheaper since it is broken. Dennis

AQUASUB

Thats what I was trying to say erlier a broken switch is a great reason for you to get a great deal!  I would hop on it .

Dave

Remote

I'll check with them and see what they have to say. The other thing I noticed that there was something peeled off the transmitter. Not sure why that was, some sticker residue was on the front. The box was already opened when I got it. I was told by the employees that they opened it to look at it. Sub looks to be new, but the transmitter is a bit questionable. What does that top left toggle switch control?

Remote

Went back to Tower Hobbies site and they dropped the price since this morning. From $569.00 to $529.00, then got my $30.00 discount on top of that. After shipping, it was $7.00 more than the one from the LHS. Had to add the tax at the LHS. Sooooooo, my sub is on its way.

Remote

AQUASUB,
Looking at video cams and I found a couple on ebay. Do you own the 30fps or the 50fps?
Thanks.....

AQUASUB

The action cam does record sound ,but inthe water it will not be very clear or will not hold up long as mine failed after only a few runs.Th video is OK ,ould opt for a watertight camara like the ones used outside ,there are some that are very well made and have much better optics ,be sure to get one that has a wide angle lenz.See my video clips like the one in Jeane Springs ,by the way youwe haveto go there the water is awsome deep and cristal clear!
That video was done with an action cam not bad but can be much beter.

The togle switch does absolutly nothing in normal ops,its there if you want to add say switching lights like I did,even broken it would have no efect.

I am glad though you got one of these incredible subs coming! I can't wait to see her ..I don't know what cchanel mine is on but its easy to change cristals.

Let me know about paintingd other mods you might have in mind .

Agian congrats on becoming a Neptune SB-1 owner!!

Dave

AQUASUB

AQUASUB

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...nt=genfish.flv

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ent=gencam.flv

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...rent=GEN12.flv

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...=bottomgen.flv

AQUASUB

[img]{akamaiimageforum}/thumbnails/493283/Xv64059.jpg[/img]

I was thinking of extending the LEDs on the circuit board so that they can be seen on the outside of the sub,that would be neat to see the operations and any warnings as they do indicate in certain conditions thhugh raerly.